1. Posture
The way a student is positioning their body while sitting at a piano not only affects their ability to play well but also their ability to play for an extended period of time. Make sure your student knows to sit with their back straight, feet flat, and arms and wrists parallel to the ground, just above the white keys.
2. Finger positioning (mechanics)
It is extremely important to teach your student proper finger positioning, not only so that they are playing correctly, but also to prevent injury. Who knew the piano was such a dangerous hobby? Though the piano won’t leave you with a concussion or a broken bone, there can definitely be long-term effects of playing incorrectly, such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Tendonitis.
3. Names of the keys
Your student needs to learn the names of the piano keys in order to begin comprehending basic music theory and how it applies to the instrument. It is definitely not rocket science (as they literally go in alphabetical order), but it’s important to teach them that the musical alphabet starts with ‘C’, and not ‘A’. Start by showing them where ‘Middle C’ is, and then move up the white keys from there — C D E F G A B and back to C. Once they grasp that concept, move on to naming the black keys (sharps and flats). To avoid confusion on the student’s end, be sure to explain that there are two different ways to refer to each black key.
4. Reading Treble clef
Beginners usually start by only playing with their right hand, which is typically going to be the melody of the song. Use mnemonic devices to help them memorize the notes, like “Every Good Boy Does Fine” for the lines and the word “FACE” for the spaces. Also be sure to point out that the circle in the middle of the treble circles the G note, so that they can figure it out relatively if they don’t have it memorized.
5. Reading bass clef
When your student is ready to add their left hand into the mix, they will need to learn how to read the bass line. Since the pattern of notes on the bass clef starts in a different place then the treble, this can be somewhat confusing when you’re just starting out. Mnemonic devices to the rescue once again! The most popular ones are “Good Boys Do Fine Always” for the lines and “All Cows Eat Grass” for the spaces. The notes can also be determined relatively if they know that the space between the two dots on the bass clef symbol is an F.
6. Key signatures
Not all beginners are going to understand the concept of keys or how different songs are in different keys. Once they have an idea of how to read the staff, you should teach your student about sharps and flats. This way they can identify the key signature and know the key of the song they are playing.
7. Major/Minor Scales
It’s important to teach your student scales early on because they give the layout of the key from the beginning note to the ending note. If you are working on a certain song with a student, showing them how the scale for the key that the song is in will show them the layout of the song. Have your students practice scales regularly. Not only will it help with hand-eye coordination, but it’s also a great warmup! That being said, be sure to stick with the easy ones at first (i.e. C major, D major, F major). Scales with more than two or three sharps/flats may be too tricky for beginners.
8. Arpeggios
Arpeggios are quite simple, and they are another great warm up! Playing arpeggios will loosen up the fingers for playing and are perfect for learning how to transition smoothly between notes. Arpeggios also show up often in classical music, especially the greats like Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart!
9. Chords
One of the first things your student will need to have memorized is their chords. Have them get down those easy ones first, like C major, F major, and G major. These chords should be committed to memory as much as possible. It takes most beginners about a month to learn all of them. One great thing about chords is that they can be a super useful tool for beginners who are feeling discouraged. Renditions of fun, contemporary songs can be easily accomplished by just playing the chord progression- showing your student that they are capable of learning a piece to completion.
10. Chord Progressions.
Have your student practice common chord progressions. It will help them in the future to have the rhythm of these down when they are working on more difficult music. If you want to get your beginner students jamming together, chord progressions are an easy way for them to collaborate and maybe even start improvising a little.